Victoria Toros

Texas League (1974)

Background

The Victoria Toros were a minor league baseball team that existed for just one season during the summer of 1974. The team arrived in southeastern Texas after Memphis, Tennessee officials acquired a Class AAA franchise in the International League for the 1974 season. That move displaced Memphis’ popular New York Mets farm club in the Class AA Texas League. Cal Rockefeller, an advertising executive from Monroe, Louisiana, acquired the Texas League franchise and shifted it to Victoria.

The Toros posted the best record in the eight-team Texas League that season (79-57). On September 8, 1974 the Toros completed a three-game sweep of the El Paso Diablos in a best-of-5 series to claim the Texas League championship.

11 ballplayers from the ’74 Toros eventually made it to the Major Leagues. Only one  – starting pitcher Nino Espinosa – enjoyed a lengthy stay. Espinosa pitched for the Mets, Phillies and Blue Jays between 1974 and 1981 and won 35 games over a three-season stretch from 1977 to 1979.

Move To Mississippi & Aftermath

Off the field, the Toros quickly ran into financial problems. After an opening night crowd of 1,953 turned up at Riverside Stadium for the Toros local debut, crowds soon dipped into the middle three figures. Victoria ultimately drew 48,649 for 58 home dates in 1974, an average of 839 fans per game (Jackson Clarion-Ledger 12/3/1974). Owner Cal Rockefeller fell into default  on the club’s $12,500 annual lease of Riverside Stadium before the season was out.

Rockefeller announced plans to abandon his five-year lease in Victoria and move the club to Jackson, Mississippi. The Texas League cautiously approved the move on the condition that Rockefeller settle his debts in Victoria. The ultimate resolution was that Rockefeller sold the club to the New York Mets in early 1975 and the move to Jackson went forward.

Toros field manager Joe Frazier moved up to the Mets’ Class AAA farm club in Norfolk, Virginia in 1975. In October 1975 he was promoted again to become manager of the Major League club for the 1976 season. After leading the Mets to a 3rd place finish in the National League East  in 1976, he was fired midway through the 1977 season and replaced by Joe Torre.

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The Texas League Baseball Almanac

By David King & Tom Kayser

Since forming in 1888, the Texas League has produced some of the most beloved American baseball players and seen more than its fair share of colorful events. In 1931, Houston pitcher Dizzy Dean pitched and won both ends of a double-header in Fort Worth, throwing a three-hit shutout in the second game. In 1906, center fielder Tris Speaker pitched for Cleburne to beat Temple 10-3. In 1998, Arkansas’ Tyrone Horne hit for the “homer cycle” in San Antonio, finishing to a standing ovation. “The Texas League Baseball Almanac” delivers day by day the record-breaking events, personal triumphs and memorable games that helped to shape baseball in the region. Join authors David King and Tom Kayser on a nine-inning trip down one of minor-league baseball’s most historic institutions, both in season and off.

 

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In Memoriam

Pitcher Nino Espinosa died of a heart attack on December 24, 1987 in his native Dominican Republic. He was only 34 years old.

Catcher Jay Kleven died unexpectedly following complications of a hip surgery on June 30, 2009. He was 59 years old. Kleven spent a week in The Show with the Mets in June 1976 and collected one Major League hit.

Manager Joe Frazier passed away at age 88 on February 15, 2011. New York Times obituary.

Links

Texas League Media Guides

Texas League Programs

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